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P. E. KHLER.

POST HOLE DGGER.

Patented Oct. 6, 1885.

Il mnu-mm 'n um" Il Witnesses.' I

UNITE STATES j L v FREDERICK E. KOHLEE, OE CANTON, OHIO, AssIGNoE OEONE-HALE To A ISAAC I-IAETEE, OE SAME PLACE.

POST-HOLE DIGGER.

BPECII-"ICATICN forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,557, datedoctober 6, 1885i. i

Application flied April 4, 1885. Serial kNo. 161,221. (No model.) A I Toall whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, FREDERICK E. KOHLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Post-Hole Diggers, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in the implements used in diggingpost-holes, for transplanting, 8vo., it pertaining more especially tothose of the .class illustrated in patent, No. 68,903, to M. L. Roberts,September 17, 1867.

Figure 1 is a side View of an implement embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a section on line .c x, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of one of theshovels detached from the other. Fig. 4 is a perspective of one of theringsegments with its socket detached from the other parts. Fig. 5 is aface view of the digger. Fig. 6 is a view showing a modification of thehinge devices. Fig. 7 is a section showing the manner of attaching theshovels.

I employ asupporting-ring at the top made in segments A A', the ends ofone segment being fitted to the other, preferably lying inside, andbeing pivoted together by means of a bolt or rod passing through theoverlapping end. These parts of the implement may be made as strong asnecessary and of any size suitable for the Work to which they are to beput.

B B represent the blades or scoops, which are secured at their ends tothe ring-segments A A', these scoops being either of the form shown orof any other which may be preferred.

When diggers of this class have been made in the manner shown in theaforesaid patent, the lower ends of the handles have not been situatedin the way which I find most advantageous, and in order to permit thehandles to be arranged ina superior manner I expand the ring-sections AA inwardly at about the midway point of each, the expansions being shownat a a. With these are formed or to them are secured socket-pieces OC,which eX- tend upward, each having an inner wall, c, and side walls,c. The handles l) are, at their lower ends, fastened in the sockets,respect-` ively, by means of bolts, as at d. The sockets and expandedparts of the rings which carry them are arranged directly opposite toeach 5 other in relation to the hinge-that is to say, so that they movedirectly toward and from each other when the parts are opened or closedupon the hinge. Therefore the handles move in the same plane, and thestrain exerted when 6c in operation is distributed uniformly. They canthroughout their entire length be brought comparatively closelytogether, so that both can be grasped by one or both hands, and yet atthe same time they avoid the great inconvenience and danger incident tothose constructions in which the handles have been so arrangedrelatively to the hinge as to pass each other more or less, the dangerbeing that the hands of the operator may be caught 7o between them. Thehandles in diggers of this latter class are generally parti-circular insection, and flat upon one side, coming together with a scissorsmovement.

With my digger the handles, when brought 7 5 to their innermostpositions, can either be still grasped separately by the hands of theoperator, or both can be firmly clamped together by his hands.

The two parts of the digger are j oined together 8o by means of a hingeengaging with the ringsegments A A. The ends a of segments A are soshaped as to overlap the ends c2 of segment A, and said ends areprovided with apertures, through which pass one or more pivots orhinge-pieces, G, one being shown in Fig. 2, and two in Fig. 6.

In order to prevent the handles being forced too closely together at thelower ends, offsets are formed on the parts (l C', they being shown 9oat F and F. Preferably, the part F is recessed, as at f, to receive thetongue f on the part F.

VVhen the handles are brought together, these parts f and F act asbraces to prevent any lateral movement or swinging, and therefore 95 thepivoting parts are relieved of strain.

A digger ofthe character which I have shown and described can bemanufactured much more quickly and cheaply than can those heretoforeproduced, having the same eiciency so far as Ioo they are known to me.

What I claim is- 1. In a digger, the combination of the ringsegment A,provided with an inward expansion and socket-piece, and thering-segment- A, provided withY a corresponding inward expansion andsockets C', said sockets lying in the same transverse plane, and thehinge secured to said ring-segments independently of the sockets, asdescribed.

2. The combination of a ring-segment, A, having the inward expansion,the socket C, provided with an offset, F, the ring-segment Ar, having aninward expansion, and the sockets C, provided with an offset, F', theringseetions being pivoted together,W substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the ring-segments A A, hinged directly togetherand adapted to 'carry the shovels, each being provided with ahandle-reeeiver situated on a vertical line in- FREDERICK E. KOHLER.

Witnesses:

F. M. WYANT, T. P. PAXsoN.

